Apparatus for cracking and distilling hydrocarbon oils



my 1 8) 1927' 5.1... TINGLEY a APPARATUS FOR CRACKING AND DISTILLING HYDROCARBON OILS FilSd Oct. 12, 1923 5 5| inve nTor.

STephen .Tmgley WW k An s':

, lation of carbon of varying Patented May 10, 1927.

UNITED STATES STEPHEN L. TINGLEY, OF NITRO, WEST VIRGINIA.

APPARATUS FOR CRACKING AND DISTILLING HYDROCARBON 0118.

Application filed October 12, 1923. Serial No. 668,229.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for cracking and distilling hydrocarbon oils and the object thereof is to provide an improved apparatus which may be utilized either to produce continuously a desired distillate or mixture of distillate, or to produce an oxyhydrocarbon gas.

1 )paratuses heretofore employed for the cracking or distillation of crude petroleum or other hydrocarbon oils are subject to one or more of the following defects. (1) Loss of time and'heat occurs in all distillation and cracking operations which are intermittent in operation due to the cooling down and cleaning out of the apparatus after each charge has been worked. (2% The accumuegrees of density which results in much loss of time and expenditure of labor, or in apparatus comprising coils for heating the ()ll to the destruction of the apparatus. (3) Intermittent operating processes produce a distillate which great y lacks uniformity in character.

The principal objects of the present invention are rst, to provide a continuous process of the cracking and distillation of crude petroleum, or other hydrocarbon oils thus eliminating loss of time and waste of heat. Second. to provide means for minimizing the deposition of carbons in the conduits or coils. Third. to provide means for cleaning the coils and to provide an apparatus which will produce a uniform distillate. Fourth, to provide an apparatus that may be used either to crack heavy hydrocarbons into lighter products, or to manufacture domestic or industrial gas from hydrocarbon oils. Fifth, to provide an apparatus in which superheated steam may be admitted into and dissociated within the distillate. or in which the distillation may be carried out without the aid of steam as may be desired.

These objects are accomplished by hating the oil in its liquid form in a coil wh ch is.

entirely surrounded by water and it ime gressively heated vapor eventually coi -i it -ting highly superheated steam; thence pass ing the oil vapor alone, or selectively with a. regulated quantity of superheated steam. into a mixing chamber where in the latter case they are thoroughly mixed and tinallv passing the oil vapor or the mixture of oil vapor and steam into a fixation chamber which may be maintained at a desired temperature for forming from a given amount of hydrocarbon the greatest amount of light hydrocarbons which may be condensed to form gasoline, or other products, or if desired the temperature of the fixation chamber may be maintained at a sufficient degree to heat and crack the hydrocarbon vapors and dissociate the superheated steam and transform the resulting product into fixed domestic or industrial gas of high calorific value.

The preferred form of apparatus comprises a furnace containin a coil into which hydrocarbon oil is introduced in a liquid state, the coil being entirely surrounded by a jacket into which water is introduced and heated to form superheated steam. The oil pipe when thus jacketed is protected from contact by the flames or gas in the furnace.

In order to clean out the carbonaceous deposits which gradually accumulate within the oil pipe a by-pass is provided by means of which superheated steam may be forced through the coil to remove the carbon deposits and the oil vapors and superheated steam are delivered to a mixing chamber, preferably provided with bafiles in which they are thoroughly mixed. A fixation chamber communicates with the mixing chamber in which the superheated steam is directed in a predetermined path preferabl in the form of a sheet which asses longitudinally of said fixation cham er in opposite dircciions and outwardly until finally the sheet comes in direct contact with the inside of the wall of the fixation chamber. Thus the oil vapor alone or mixed with steam may be progressively heated in the fixation chamber to a predetermined temperature to produce a desired distillate, or the temperature thereof may be sufficiently increased to produce and fix a gas of predetermined and uniform quality.

A preferred form of apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

The apparatus shown in the drawin comprises a preferably cylindrical vertica furnacc l of brick work having the usual lining of iire-brick and provided with a fire-box extension 12 which desirably is of the Dutch oven type and into which a gas or oil burner 3 extends. A pipe 4 for the oil leads into the furnace and in the preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is surrounded by an outer concentric pipe which forms a jacket. The inner and outer pipes desirably are formed into a cylindrical coil 6 having superposed spirals. As illustrated herein the coil 6 is formed in a series of superposed sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 which for convenience in construction and etliciency in operation are slightly separated and each carried by suitablesupports projecting from the inner wall of the furnace, the sections being connected together by u-shapild portions 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 which may embedded in the wall of the furnace as it is being constructed.

Any suitable means may be used for supplying oil and water to the inner pipe 4 and outer pipe 5 respectively. As illustrated herein tanks 18 and 19 are mounted upon the top of the fire-box, the tank 18 being connected by a pipe 20 with the oil pipe 4,

l regulatin valve 21 in said pipe serving to control the amount ofoil sup lied. The water tank 19 is connected b a pipe 22 with the jacket pipe 5 and is 1i ewise provided with a valve 23 to control the amount of water supplied to the pipe.

The pipes 4 and 5 extend from the upper end of the up er section of the coil through the wall of t e furnace and desirably are provided respectively with branches 24 and 25 which lead to and communicate with a pipe 26 which extends downwardly through the top of the furnace into a mixing chamber which will be hereinafter more fully described. The pipes 24 and 25 are provided respectively with valves 27 and 28 by means of which the flow of the oil vapors and superheated steam into the pipe 26 may be controlled or cut off as may be desired. The pipes 24 and 25 desirably are provided with gauges 29 and 30 by means of which the pressure of the oil vapor and steam may be observed.

In the operation of the device regulated amounts respectively of oil. and vapor are introduced into the inner and outer pipes and are subjected to the heat within the furnace. The oil and steam passing upwardly through the coils is soon vaporized and progressively heat ed as it passes upwardly along the coil so that highly heated oil vapor and superheated steam is delivered through the pi cs 24 and 25. By reason of the fact that t c inner pipe, which Contains theoil and its vapors, is jacketed by thc pipe which contains water and its steam and 15, therefore, protected from direct contact with the flames and hot. gases of the furnace, very little carbon deposit is produced in the Oil pipe Add the apparatus is, therefore, enabled to function more continuously than other types of apparatus in which the 0il-contain ing pipe is exposed to direct heat.

As heretofore stated it has been practically impossible in machines of the prior art to clean the carbonaceous deposits out of coils. This, however, is accomplished in the present construction by projecting superheated steam through the oil pipe and to accomplish this purpose a by-pass pipe 31 is provided which connects the pipe 4 to the branch 25 from the steam jacket, a valve 32 which normally is maintained closed being provided in the by-pass pipe 31. The inlet. cud of the oil pipe t is provided with a blowotl' valve 33. \Vhen, therefore, it is found necessary or desirable to clean the oil pipe, the val vc 21 is first closed. The valve 27 in the branch 24 is then closed. Then the blowotf valve 33 is opened and finally the valve 32 in the bypass 31 is opened thereby admitting superheated steam into the upper end of the oil pipe. The superheaed steam flowing under pressure downwardly through the coils of the oil pipe rapidly first discharges the oil and then rapidly and completely cleans the carbonaceous deposits from the inside of the oil pipe. It is found by experience that such cleaning can be accomplished. communication reestablished with the oil tank and distillation resumed without any interruption of the delivery of {)he distillate or gas from the fixation cham- In the operation of the apparatus oil vapors or distillates are passed from the pipe 26 preferably into a mixing chamber and thence into a fixation chamber, but if desired may be led directly to the fixation chamber by suitable means of communication. In the construction illustrated in the'drawing the pipe 26 extends downwardly nearly to the bottom of a cylindrical mixing chamber 34 which is provided near its bottom, with an outlet pipe 35 extending through the wall of the furnace and having a valve 36 beyond the wall of the furnace by means of which any tarry liquid which may accumulate in the lower portion of the mixing chamber may be drawn off.

The Walls of the mixing chamber desirably have secured to them a series of annular baffles 37 and the vapors of oil or oil and steam are delivered from the mixing chamber through a vertical pipe 38 which ex tends from the upper portion of the mixing chamber downwardly into the fixation chamber. The upper portion of the pipe 38 within the mixing chamber desirably is provided with a series of annular battles 39 which extend between the bafiies 37 in staggered relation. It will be understood, however. that the mixing chamber may be provided with other forms of battles within the spirit of the following claims.

The fixation chamber in the preferred cmbodiment of the invention disclosed hereincomprises a vertical cylinder 40 which. together with the mixing chamber, desirably is arranged concentrically of the coil 6. The

pipe 38 leading from the mixing chamber extends well downwardly toward the bottom of the fixation chamber.

Means desirably are provided in the fixation chamber for causing the gas to flow in a thin sheet in alternate directions upwardly and outwardly until finally they pass along the outer wall of the chamber where they are subjected to the highest degree of heat. This is accomplished by providing a series of concentric partitions, the inner partition 4] extending from the bottom of the lixation chamber upwardly nearly to the top of the fixation chamber leaving a sufficient passage to direct the gas into the form of a sheet which passes downwardly along the outside of the partition 41 and within a concentric partition 42 intermediate of the partition 41 and the outer wall 43 of the fixation chamher. The gaseous vapors, therefore, are directed first upwardly, then alternately downwardly and upwardly in the form of a thin cylindrical sheet having a successively increasing circumference which permits expan- .sion of the vapors as they are progressively heated, and finally upwardly along the inner face of the outer wall of the fixation chamber and are delivered from said chamber through a pipe 44 which extends through the wall of the furnace to a suitable reservoir or distillation apparatus. The pipe 44 is rovided with a valve 45 by means of which the discharge of oil vapor or fixed gas may be controlled and desirably a gauge 46 is connected with the pipe adjacent the valve 45 by means of which the pressure of the discharged products may be observed. A blow-off ipe having a suitable relief valve 47 may a so be connected to the pipe 44.

It is desirable that the temperature of the product which is discharged from the fixation chamber may be observed and to this end the. pipe 44 is provided with a boss containing a pyrometer 48. Likewise it is desirable that the tem rature of the furnace may be observed an to this end the pipe 49 extends through the wall of the furnace preferably about midway of its height and is provided with a valve 50 which may be opened to permit the introduction of a pyrometer into the path of the heated gas of the furnace.

In order that a constant and uniform heat may be maintained in the furnace a wall 51 of checker-work fire-brick extends upwardly from the bottom of the furnace intermediate of the coil 6 and the outer wall 43 of the fixation chamber 40. This interior wall may be made of anydesirable height even if found desirable enclosing also the mixing chamber, sufiicient space being left between the wall and the fixation chamber and mixing chamber respectively to permit free contact of the heated gas withthe wall of the fixation chamber and mixing chamber. The

outer face of the inner wall 51 desirably also is free from contact with the coil so that it offers no impediment to the contact of the heated gases of combustion with the coil.

lly reason of this construction the inner checker-work wall and the inner wall of the furnace become highly heated so that a constant radiation of heat is maintained which produces a uniform heating of thc'oil and water and their vapors in the coils and also maintains a uniform delivery heat to the fixation and mixing chambers as will be readily understood. I

In order to prevent the possibility of back pressure and of excessive pressure check valves 52 and 53 are placed in the pipes 20 and 22 respectively between the regulating valves 21 and 23 and the pipes 4 and 5 respectivelyand the branch pipe 25 which leads from the outer steam pipe of the system is provided with a safety valve, such as, a pop valve 54.

Oil and water are fed respectively from the tanks 18 and 19 to the inner and outer pipes of the coil 6, the back pressure being prevented by the check valves 52 and '53. The water is converted into steam in the lower part of the outer coil and is superheated as it passes through the top of the coil where it is conducted by the branch pipe 24 to the pipe 26 which leads to the bottom of the mixing chamber, the gauge upon the pipe 25 indicating the nressure in the pipe which may be controlled by the valve 28. The oil which passes into the inner coil is vaporized and is highly heated by the super heated steam surrounding the up er portions of the coil, the oil passing mm the top of the coil through the pipe 24 into the pipe 26 being controlled by the valve 28 and the pressure indicated by the pressure gauge 30. The mixed oil vapors and superheated steam which are delivered near the bottom of the mixing chamber, as upwardly therethrough, the baflies of the mixing chamber causing the same to traverse a circuitous or zigzag route on their way to the top of the chamber from which they are conducted downwardly by the vertical pipe 38 to the lower portion of the fixation chamber. The oil vapors and su erheated steam are then directed alternately upwardly and downwardly by the concentric partitions in the fixation chamber and also outwardly so that 'the sheet finally passes upwardly adjacent the inner wall of the fixation chamber and is conducted away from the upper portion thereof to the reservoir or condenser by the pipe 44 which is provided with a valve and a gauge 46 and also is equipped with a blowchamber and thd fixation chamber, to crack the more complex hydrocarbons of the oil vapors, and also to dissociate more or less of the superheated steam. These products being in a nascent condition readily enter into new combinations so that a fixed as of high calorific value, such as hydrocar on gas is produced in the fixation chamber. The pressure in the fixation chamber may be regulated by the valve 45. The tarry matter or carbon which may accumulate in the mixing chamber is conducted away by the pipe 35 and that which may accumulate in the bottom of the fixation chamber may be conducted away by a similar pipe 55.

Under ordinary conditions t 1e pressure of the fixation chamber will be less than the pressure of the oil vapors or steam and the flow of gases through the apparatus will be smooth and continuous. However, if necessary in the treatment of certain types of crude oil the pressure in the fixation chamber may be allowed to equal the pressure of the oil and vapors in the oil and steam pipes 4 and 5 of the coil by suitable adjustment of h valve 45 in the outlet pipe 44 and by furadjustment of the valve 45 and closing the valves 27 and 28 the pressure in the fixation chamber may be caused to exceed that of the oil vapors and steam so that any desired pressure may be obtained in the fixation chamber by reason of the further expansion of the gases under the influence of the heat. When the desired pressure is attained the valve 45 may be opened to discharge the material and the valves 27 and 28 again opened and the cycle repeated.

Excessive steam pressure is avoided by the pop valve 54 and excessive pressure on the oil vapors may be avoided by gauging the feed of the oil to the coil. Thus by the manipulation described the temperature and pressure of the fixing chamber and the time the gases are permitted to remain therein may be controlled.

During the distillation and cracking of the oil in the coils the oil and its v'apors are protected against the direct action of the heat of the furnace by the jacket and are progressively heated by the steam and superheated steam in the coil. The products are thoroughly mixed in the mixing chamber and finally heated to the required temperature to produce the desired product in the fixation chamber. By shutting off the steam or permitting it to blow oil oil vapors unmixed with steam may be treated in the mixing chamber and in the fixation chamber for the purpose of producing distillation products.

When it is found necessary to clean the oil pipe of residue the supply of oil is shut off by the valve 21 and the delivery of oil vapor Tut off by closing the valve 27. The blowo' valve 33 is then opened and the valve 32 in the by-pass 31 leading from the steam pipe to the oil pipe is o ened so that superheated steam is blown ownwardly through the pipe 4 and effectively cleans it of all material which may have accumulated in it. The cleaning of the oil pipe in this manner occupies but a very short time and the operation of the apparatus may 'be resumed before any substantial variation of pressure occurs in the fixation chamber. The apparatus, therefore, is adapted .to operate continuously and to deliver such uniform product as may be desired by suitable regulation in the manner above described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A cracking and distillation apparatus comprisin a furnace, a coil within said furnace for eating the hydrocarbon oil and means for supplying oil to the same, a jacket entirely surrounding said coil and means for supplying water. thereto and causing it to flow in the same direction as the flow of the oil whereby it will be converted into superheated steam by the heat of the furnace and the oil progressively heated, vaporized and the vapors superheated at substantially the same progressively increasing temperatures as those of the water and its vapor the oil containing coil protected from direct exposure to the heat of the furnace.

2. A cracking and distillation apparatus comprisin a furnace, a coil within said furnace for ieating the hydrocarbon oil and means for supplying oil to the same, a jacket entirely surrounding said coil and means for supplying water thereto and causing it to flow in the same direction as the flow of the oil whereby it will be converted into superheated steam by the heat of the furnace and the oil containing coil protected from direct exposure to the heat of the furnace and means for passing su erheated steam from said jacket through t e oil conducting coil whereby said coil may be cleaned of tarry or carbonaceous matter by the action of the superheated steam.

3. cracking and distillation apparatus comprisin nace for eating the hydrocarbon oil and means for supplying oil to the same, a jacket entirely surrounding said coil and means for supplying water thereto and causing it to flow in the same direction as the flow of the oil whereby it will be converted into superheated steam by the heat of the furnace and the oil containin coil rotected from direct exposure to the heat 0 the furnace, a mixing chamber within said furnace communicatin with said coil and jacket to receive the oil vapors and su erheated steam and a series of bafiles in sai chamber acting more thoroughly to mix said vapors and steam as they are further heated.

a furnace, a. coil within said furentirely surrounding said coil and means for supplying water thereto whereby it will be converted into superheated steam by the heat of the furnace and the oil containing coil protected from direct exposure to the heat of the furnace, a mixing chamber within said furnace communicating with said coil and jacket to-receive the oil vapors and superheated steam and a series of battles in said chamber acting more thoroughly to mix said vapors and steam as they are further heated and a fixation chamber coinii'iunicating with said mixing ichainber having means for causing the mixture to circulate in a predetermined path.

5. A cracking and distillation apparatus comprising a furnace, a coilwithin. said furnace for heating the hydrocarbon oil and means for supplying oil to the same, a jacket entirely surrounding said coil and means for supplyin water thereto whereby it will be converte into superheated steam by the heat of the furnace and the oil containing coil protected from direct exposure to the heat of the furnace, a mixing chamber within said furnace communicating with said coil and jacket to receive" the oil vapors and superheated steam, a series of baflies in said chamber acting more thoroughly to mix said vapors and steam as they are further heated and a fixation chamber within said furnace having a series of concentric compartments which confine the circulation of the mixed oil vapors and steam to a definite path whereby the temperature of the mixed gases and vapors is progressively increased.

6. A cracking and distillation apparatus comprising a furnace, a coil within said furnace for heating the hydrocarbon oil and means for supplying oil to the same, a jacket entirely surrounding said coil and means for supplying water theretoand causing it to flow iii thesame direction as the flow of the oil whereby it will be converted into superheated steam by the heat of the furnace and the oil progressively heated, vaporized and the vapors superheated at substantially the same progressively increasing temperatures as those of the water and its va or, the oil containing coil protected from irect exposure to the heat of the furnace, a chamber within said furnace communicating with said coil and jacket, and regulating means respectively controlling the passage of oil or steam to said chamber whereby the oil vapors may be selectively treated in said chamber with or without the agency of steam.

7. An oil cracking and distillation apparatus comprising a furnace having a heating chamber, a cylindrical coil of concentrically arranged inner and outer pipes 10- rated within said heating chamber. means for supplying oil to one end of the inner pipe and means for supplying water to the corrrsponding end of the outer pipe whereby the water will be progresively heated, vaporized and the steam superheated, and the oil correspondingly progressively heated, vaporized and its vapor su crheated, the oil and its vapors being entire y surrounded by the jacket of water and its steam flowing in the outer pipe in the same direction and protected against direct action of the heat of the furnace.

8. An oil cracking and distillation apparatus comprising a furnace having a vertical tubular heating chamber, a cylindrical coil of concentrically arranged inner and outer pipes supported within said heating chamber out of substantial contact with the wall thereof and with its axis extending longitudinally of said chamber, means for supplying oil to the inner pipe at its lower end, means for supplying water to the outer pipe also at its lower end to cause the same to flow in the same direction as the oil whereby the water will be progressively heated, vaporized and the steam superheated, and the oil correspondingly progressively heated, vaporized and its vapor superheated, the oil and its vapors being surrounded by the jacket. of water and its progressively heated steam flowing in the outer pipe in the same direction and protected against direct actioh of the heat of the furnace.

9. An oil cracking and distillation apparatus comprising a furnace having a heating chamber, a coil of concentrically arranged inner and outer pipes located within said heating chamber, means for supplying oil to one end of the inner pipe and means for supplying water to the corresponding end of the outer pipe whereby the oil and its vapors are entirely surrounded by a jacket of water and its steam flowing in the same direction and protected against direct exposure to the heat of the furnace, a blowotf valve at the inlet end of the oil pipe and a conduit having a valve operable to deliver steam from said jacket into said oil pipe adjacent the delivery end thereof to clean the same.

10. An oil cracking and distillation apparatus comprising a furnace having a heat-- ing chamber, a coil of concentrically arranged inner and outer pipes located within said heating chamber, means forsupplying oil to one end of the inner pipe and means for supplying water to the corresponding end of the outer pipe whereby the oil and its vapors are entirely surrounded by a jacket of water and its steam flowing in the same direction'and protected against direct exposure to the heat of the furnace, a mixing chamber located centrally within said coil and means for delivering oil vapor and steam from the inner and outer pipes thereto, and a heat retaining wall intermediate of said mixing chamber and said coil.

11. An oil cracking and distillation apparatus comprising a furnace having a heating chamber, a coil of concentrically arran ed inner and outer pipes located Within said heating chamber, means for supplying oil to one end'of the inner pipe and means for supplying water to the corresponding end of the outer pipe whereby the oil and its vapors are entirely surrounded by a jacket of water and its steam flowing in the same direction and protected against direct exposure to the heat of the furnace, and a mixing chamber located cent-rally within said coil communicating with said inner and outer pipes and provided with a series of staggered baffles positioned to cause the steam and oil vapor to pass through said mixing chamber in an irregular course whereby thorough mixing will be effected.

12. An oil cracking and distillation apparatus comprising a furnace having a heating chamber, a coil of concentrically ar ranged inner and outer pipes located Within said heating chamber, means for supplying oil to one end of the inner'pipe and means for supplying water to the corresponding end of the outer pipe whereby the oil and its vapors are entirely surrounded by a jacket of water and its steam flowing in the same direction and protected against direct exposure to the heat of the furnace, a mixing chamber located centrally within said coil, means for delivering oil vapor and steam from the inner and outer pipes thereto, and a fixation chamber located within said furnace, below said mixing chamber communicating with said mixing chamber whereby the mixture of oil vapors and steam are superheated and the heavier components of the oil cracked and the steam dissociated.

13. An oil cracking and distillation apparatus comprising a furnace having a heating.chamber, a coil of concentrically arranged inner and outer pipes located within said heating chamber. means for supplying oil to one end of the inner pipe and means for supplying water to the corresponding end of the outer pipe whereby the oil and its vapors are entirely surrounded by. a jacket of water and its steam flowing in the same direction and protected against direct exposure to the heat of the furnace, a mixing chamber located centrallywvithin said coil, means for delivering oil vapor and steam from the inner and outer pipes thereto and a fixation chamber located within the center of said coil communicating with said mixing chamber and provided with means for causing the mixture of oil vapors and steam to pass therethrough in a predetermined path along which the mixture is subjected to progressively increasing temperature and being finally directed in the form of a thin sheet in contact with the heated outer wall of the fixation chamber.

14. An oil cracking and distillation apparatus comprising a furnace having a heating chamber, a coil of concentrically arranged inner and outer pipes located within said heating chamber, means for supplying oil to one end of the nner pipe and means for supplying water to the corresponding end of the outcr pipc whereby the oil and its vapors are entirely surrounded by a jacket of water and its steam flowing in the same direction and protected against direct exposure to the heat of the furnace, a mixing chamber located centrally within said coil, means for delivering-oil vapor and steam from the inner and outer pipes thereto, a cylindrical fixation chamber located within the center of said coil below the mixing chamber having a central inlet pipe communicating wih the mixing chamber and extending nearly to the lower end of said fixation chamber and a series of concentric partitions within said fixation chamber surrounding said inlet pipe and acting to direct the mixture of steam and oil vapors alternately in opposite directions longitudinally of said fixation chamber and progressively outwardly whereby the temperature thereof is progressively increased.

15. A cracking and distillation apparatus comprising means for vaporizing the oil and highly heating the vapors thereof, means for producing superheated steam, a mixing chamber to receive the oil vapors and superheated steam, an externally heated fixation chamber comprising a central inlet pipe communicating with said mixing chamber and a series of concentric partitions sur rounding said inlet pipe acting to direct the mixture alternately longitudinally of and successively outwardly in a thin sheet whereby the temperature of the same will be progressively increased.

16. An oil cracking and distillation apparatus comprising a furnace having a vertical heating chamber, a horizontal coil of concgntric inner and outer pipes extending upwardly along, but spaced from, the wall thereof, a cylindrical mixing chamber located concentrically of said coil in the upper part of said heating chamber, a cylindrical fixation chamber located beneath said mixing chamber. means for supplying oil to the inner pipe, means for supplying water to the outer pipe. means to deliver the oil vapor and superheated steam from said inner and outer pipes to the lower end of said mixing chamber. means to deliver the mixture of oil vapor and superheated steam from the upper portion of said mixing chamber to the lower portion of said fixation from chamber and an outlet pipe leading iamber the upper portion of said fixation c to deliver the fixed gases therefrom.

17. An oil cracking and distillation apparatus comprising a furnace having a vertical heating chamber, a horizontal coil of concentric inner and outer pipes extendin upwardly along, but spaced from, the wal thereof, a cylindrical mixing chamber located concentrically of said coil in the upper part of said heating chamber, a cylindrical fixation chamber located beneath said mixing chamber, means for regulating respectively the amount of vapor and steam delivered to said mixing chamber and means for regulating the delivery of the gaseous products from the fixation chamber.

18. An oil cracking and distillation apparatus comprising a furnace having a vertical heating chamber, a horizontal coil of concentric inner and outer pipes extendin upwardly along, but spaced from, the Wall thereof, a cylindrical mixing chamber located concentrically of said coil in the upper part of said heating chamber, a cylindrical fixation chamber located beneath said mixing chamber, a wall of checkerwork firebrick located concentrically within said coil of pipe and surrounding said fixation chamber so arranged and constructed as to permit the hot gases from the fire-box of the furnace to contact with said coil and with the wall of the fixation chamber whereby radiation from the heated fire-brick, together with the heated wall of the furnace, will insure a con 5*.

tinuous and substantially uniform delivery of heat to the coil and fixation chamber.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to'this specification.

STEPHEN L. TINGLEY. 

